Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Spokane, WA and Grand Forks, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Grand Forks, ND: $2,014 a month against $2,601 in Spokane, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Spokane, WA
Learn more

Spokane, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,601

/mo nomad

Grand Forks, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Spokane, WA and in Grand Forks, ND

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Spokane, WA and in Grand Forks, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,601 in Spokane, WA versus $2,014 in Grand Forks, ND.

Spokane, WA $2,601
Grand Forks, ND $2,014

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Spokane, WA versus $2,938 in Grand Forks, ND.

Spokane, WA $3,839
Grand Forks, ND $2,938

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,076 in Spokane, WA versus $3,862 in Grand Forks, ND.

Spokane, WA $5,076
Grand Forks, ND $3,862

Living in Spokane, WA is roughly 29% more expensive than in Grand Forks, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Spokane, WA 91% above, Grand Forks, ND 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$21.09 $21.09

-6.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$79.3 $79.3

-5.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$12.78 $12.78

0.47%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$5.84 $5.84

-14.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.70 $2.70

-10.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.98 $2.98

-26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$4.92 $4.92

39.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 $6.18

$6.16 $6.16

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.13 $1.13

-17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.42 $3.42

-4.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.28 $4.28

9.35%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$3.64 $3.64

59.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 $15.79

$24.73 $24.73

-36.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.06 $2.06

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.38 $4.38

24.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$3.28 $3.28

71.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.17 $2.17

44.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.91 $2.91

5.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.15 $2.15

-4.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.97 $1.97

-6.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.10 $10.10

19.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$34.62 $34.62

-58.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.94 $5.94

-19.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.49 $1.49

30.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$41.98 $41.98

44.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.01 $6.01

-14.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.78 $39.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.83 $0.83

63.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K $27.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$174 $174

$223 $223

-21.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$113 $113

-32.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$71.8 $71.8

2.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 $44.38

$62.9 $62.9

-29.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 $16.13

$15.05 $15.05

7.18%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,403 $1,403

$590 $590

137.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 $52.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.55 $49.55

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$961 $961

69.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$800 $800

49.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,093 $3,093

$1,551 $1,551

99.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 $1,950

$1,279 $1,279

52.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,290 $3,290

$1,663 $1,663

97.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,276 $2,276

$1,685 $1,685

35.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,440 $4,440

$4,097 $4,097

8.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.82

-0.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Spokane, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Grand Forks, ND: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Spokane, WA

$1.2K 46.1%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Groceries & Markets

Spokane, WA

$434 16.7%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Spokane, WA

$324 12.5%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Eating Out

Spokane, WA

$321 12.4%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Clothing & Footwear

Spokane, WA

$163 6.3%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Getting Around

Spokane, WA

$82 3.2%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Sport & Entertainment

Spokane, WA

$77 3%

Grand Forks, ND

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Spokane, WA and $961 in Grand Forks, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Spokane, WA pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75 in Spokane, WA vs $79 in Grand Forks, ND. Groceries flip the comparison at $434 vs $323, with Grand Forks, ND cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 Grand Forks, ND

🕒 Local time

19:27 7:27 PM

21:27 9:27 PM

2 h ahead of Spokane, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

228,989

50,372

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Spokane, WA Grand Forks, ND 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Spokane, WA
Grand Forks, ND

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Spokane, WA vs Grand Forks, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand Forks, ND wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Spokane, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Grand Forks, ND the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Spokane, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,625 in Spokane, WA versus $961 in Grand Forks, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Grand Forks, ND runs roughly 31% less than in Spokane, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $1,403 in Spokane, WA versus $590 in Grand Forks, ND. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Grand Forks, ND is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Grand Forks, ND is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Spokane, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Grand Forks, ND wins on affordability, Spokane, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.